Drum cooling device



Nov. 1 1, 1958 w. P. MURPHY 2,359,664

DRUM COOLING DEVICE Filed June-15, 195s 30 IN V EV TOR.

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Unite States Patent 6 DRUM C'OOLING DEVICE William P. Murphy, West Springfield, Mass, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Application June 15, 1956, Serial No. 591,771

3 Claims. (Cl. 89-44) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to automatic guns provided with rotatable drums with cartridge chambers and more particularly to a device for cooling the drums.

The rate of operation of a revolver-type gun is limited by the rate of heat dissipation of the drum. It is an object of my invention to provide a cooling system to aid such heat dissipation.

Another object of my invention is to provide the gun with a cooling system including connecting passages for coolant in the drum and shaft therefor.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a system with a collector on the recoil unit to conduct the coolant from the drum.

Other aims and objects of my invention will appear from the following explanation.

In carrying out my invention, the drum of an automatic gun is provided with radial bores extending between the chambers for the passage of coolant.

An inlet passage is provided through the recoil unit supporting the drum and through the shaft thereof, and a collector is disposed on the recoil unit for inclosing the outlets of the radial bores to conduct the coolant from the drum.

Passage of the coolant through the drum is assisted by centrifugal force from the rotation thereof.

For a more complete understanding, reference is directed to the following description and the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view in section of a revolvertype automatic gun incorporating my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view along line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a view along line 33 of Fig. 1.

Accordingly, a gun 12 is provided with a recoil unit 14 including a barrel 15 and a drum 16 secured to a shaft 18 and provided with chambers 20 for cartridges 22. Shaft 18 is journaled in recoil unit 14 for rotation of the chambers to stations including a firing station nearest the recoil unit for discharge of cartridges. An actuator 24 is disposed for reciprocation to successively rotate the chambers to the firing station responsive to the discharge.

Drum 16 includes radial bores 26 for circulation of coolant, and the coolant is supplied to the bores through a passage including a duct 28 in recoil unit 14, an axial duct 31) through shaft 18, radial ducts 32 in the shaft and a cavity 34 in drum 16 adjacent shaft 18.

A collector 36 disposed on recoil unit 14 to inclose drum 16 is provided with an annular channel portion 38 having communication with the outlets of bores 26 to conduct the coolant from drum 16. The volume of channel portion 38 is substantially equal to the volume of bores 26. Seals 40 are disposed between channel portion 38 and drum 16 to prevent escape of the coolant. An air vent 41 is disposed on the top of channel portion 38, and a strip portion 42 of collector 36 is disposed to interrupt channel portion 38 adjacent actuator 24 and engage drum 16 to seal the outlets of bores 26. Tailpipes 44 communicate with channel portion 38 on opposite sides of strip portion 42 to drain the coolant from the collector.

Duct 28 and tailpipes 44 may be respectively connected to flexible conduits for passage of coolant to and from gun 12.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised within the spirit and scope thereof and the following claims are intended to include such variations.

I claim:

1. An automatic gun comprising a recoil unit, a shaft journaled therein, a drum secured thereto and provided with chambers for cartridges, and an actuator disposed for reciprocation in the recoil unit to rotate said chambers to stations corresponding thereto including a firing station for discharge of the cartridges in the firing station, said drum including conduits radially disposed intermediate said chambers for circulation of coolant to remove heat from said drum, and said shaft and said recoil unit including inlet and outlet passages for conducting the coolant to and from said drum.

2. An automatic gun as described in claim 1 including a collector disposed on said recoil unit for inclosing said drum and provided with a channel portion, and a strip disposed adjacent said actuator for respectively directing the coolant from said conduits and for retaining the coolant therein.

3. An automatic gun as described in claim 2 with said collector including a seal engaging said drum to prevent escape of the coolant.

No references cited. 

